Radiator cap



gvPatented, .'ug. 2l, vw23.

mowann r. Corman, or nerr, rarement.

RADIATOR GAP.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. CURRAN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and btate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Radiator Caps, of which the followin is a specification.

his invention is a radiator cap adapted to be used on automobile radiators, and so constructed as to support a radiator thermometer in a manner to preclude either the theft of the ,thermometer or of the' radiator cap. y

An extensive ractice lhas developed in recent years on t iepart of automobile owners in providing radiator caps of artistic and aesthetic designswhi ch, in many instances,

areexpensive, and, because of their attractive` appearance, are not infrequently removed and stolen from the car, more particularly by bo Moreover, radiator caps of conventions, kinds are requentlyprovided' with radiator thermometers, so co'nstructed that they may oe/readily removed by unauthorized personsaud form a temps' tation f or thieves. A large number of these radiator ,thermometers are stolen yearly.

' With the foregoing considerations in mind, the objects of the present invention maybe referred to as two-fold, namely to provide an ornamental and aesthetic ra iator cap, which may be so constructed that it may be readily locked in placeupon the rafo form a support for a radiator thermometerwhich may be locked to the cap by means also concealed by the cover when the same isin closed osition and with these parts are associated) key actuated means forl normallyldglxing the cover of the cap in such closcdpsition.

It isfthc normal intention to employ a raditthermometer in conjunction withv thgvcap 'of this invention, though, if de- 'The cap l is provided with a tubular deinterior of thc skirt 2, but as aluminum 1921. serial No. scemo.

y I y sired, ornaments, totems or emblematicV structures may take the place of the ther; mometer and may be locked in position to preclude the theft thereof.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the hereinf after-detailed description and'` claim, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. p

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein illustrated isl to be understood as illustrative, only, and notas defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a radiator cap embodying the present invention showing` the radiator' thermometer illustrated partly in dot and dash lines mounted thereon. .4

Figure 2 is a plan view of the radiator cap with the cover plate thereon open.

Figure 3 is a sectionon the line 3-'3 of y Figure 1, showing the ca mounted on the filler neck of a radiator, w ich is also shown. in section; and,

Figure 4 is a pers ective view of ahook shaped locking mem er which may be conveniently employed in the construction shown in the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the radiator cap, which may be cast or molded in metal, fibre, composition or other material, but is preferably cast of aluminum.

pending lskirt 2, in which is positioned a v tubular liner 3 of brass seated or otherwise- `firmly secured in position. If desired, the

threads may he formed directly upon the threads are not durable, it is preferred to use the brass liner in the event that the cap is in the yform of an aluminum casting. The threads thus formed adapt the cap to be screwed upon the threaded filler neck-4.

The cap is provided with an open top which is preferably normally closed by a hinged cover 5 pivotedon a hinged pin 6, supported by lug 7, cast integral with the cap proper. The cover 5 is adapted t0 seat within adepression or recess 8 irr` the top of the cap when in closed positioniff.;` When the cover is raised and swun back, water may be introduced into the ra iatorthrough a central passage through the cap andto facilitate the passageof such water` into the x radiator, the interior wall of the cap being n Y recae/sa in the center of its top with a tapped pocket` 10, adapted to receive a threaded shank of a radiator thermometer or a radiator cap ornanent, though, if desired, this threaded.

pocket'may be omitted and an prnament formed directly upon the cap or the top of thecover plate may be made plain. v

An important feature of the present 1nvention as hereinbefore stated resides in the fact that means are provided for locking the 'cap against removal by unauthorized persons from the radiator filler neck and also locking the thermometer or ornament against removal from the cap. ln practice,

the cap itself iis-preferably made ornamental,

and, as shown in Figure 1, the exterior of the cap may be made aestheticY by forming the upper vportion thereof of polygonal'conn tour, as shown at 11, and providing the same with outwardly extending radial arms 1Q, which'not only enhance the appearance of the cap, but, also, facilitate the screwing of the cap on to or off of the filler neck of 'ihe radiator. The cap may be conveniently locked against unauthorized removal by providing said capv with -one or more holes 13,'- which extend downwardly through the top of the `cap from the base of the recess 8 to a point above 'the upper edge of the filler neckand'by threading these holes so that said screws lamay be screwed downwardly therethrough and'into engagement with the 4:upper edge of the lfiller neck, after the cap has been screwed thereon. If desired,

vvnotches 15 may be formed in the upper edge of the filler neck, s0 that when the screws 14 are screwed downwardly'through the holes 13, their lowerends may engage the notches 15 and positively lock the cap against rotation on the filler neck.

By positioningthe screws 14. as shownk and countersinking or letting in their heads, the heads of the screws'will be covered and A"concealed by the cover 5, when thesame is .folded into the closed' position shown in Figure 3, and set screws will accordingly be inaccessible so long as the cover remains closed.

If a radiator thermometer or ornament l -isito be associated withthe cover of the cap,

screwing the threaded shank of the thers mometer or ornament into the associated pocket 10 of the covcr the lshank of said wthermometer or ornamentmay be locked against rotation in the pocket by providing the cover with a tapped hole l tnfextending upwardly from the under side thereof and at of the ornament or thermometer after the same has been screwed into the pocket l0 and to so bite into the threads of such shank Las to precludethe removal of the thermometer' or ornament so long as the set screw is in place. l

It will be apparent that the locking of the cap on the radiator ller neck, as well as the locking of the thermometer or ornament upon the cover of the cap, is dependentupon the maintaining of the cover in closed position and in order to assure of this a lock is preferably associated with the cap and cover Aand is controllable by a key, so as to reclude the opening of the cap and there easing of the set screws 13 and 17 by unauthorized persons. This lockmay be of anysuitable and conventional form, but the simple form of lock illustrated in the drawings is found to operate with entire satisfaction and efiicieney. v 'y In the forml of lock shown, the lock casing 18 is let intothe cap and is provided interiorly with suitably shaped and positioned wards 19. The front of the Casin is closed by a rotatable plate QO/provide with a slot 21, through which a key 22 may be introduced. Associated with the inner end of the lock casing is a hook member 23, which is mounted for rotation coaxial with the lock 'casing 18 and is provided on its forward face with ofi center holesv24, corresponding in placement to projections Q5 formed on the end of the key. The key.

is adapted to be inserted into the lock casing through the slot 21 and the projections 25 brought into engagement with the pockets 24 of-the hook shaped member'23. The key is provided with ward openings 26 corresponding in placement to the wards 19 and of corresponding size, so that when` the key is brought into the position described, it may be rotated for the purpose of rotating 'the hook shaped member 23 into and out of engagement with a keeper 27, V.depending from the under side ofthe cover 5, so that through these operations the cover may be locked or unlocked in closed position. The form of lock illustrated is of very simple construction, embodies aiminimum number of parts and may be manufactured at a minimum cost, and while it is not a 'burglar proof lock in Vthe usual meaning of the term, it is sufficiently protei-tive to adequately carry out its purpose wish it understood that any other lockin means than that described may be employed if so desiredy in lieu of the construction shown.l It will be apparent in any event soy long as the cover is locked in closed position that the silrreptitious removal vof the 'cap or thermometer is precluded.

diatoix greatly facilitates the In practically carryin out the invention, set screws have been oundto eiiiciently lock the parts with which they are associated a ainst inadvertent removal, but other loc ingmeans may be employed in lieu' thereof if so desired.

The cap of the present invention is ada ted to be placed u on the radiator fil er neck of a car and w en once positioned and locked in place thereon may become a ermanent part thereof. When it is desire to replenish the Water in the radiator, the key 22 is emplo ed to unlock the cover and allow it to he swung back so that water may be poured through the funnel shaped interior Aof the cap andinto the ra- This funnel shaped interior introduction of the wia-ter, and, moreover, assists in precluding splashing of the water in the radiator out through the joint'beneath the plate. Moreover, by setting the cover in the recess 8 a stepped joint is provided which further precludes' splashing of the l aesthetic and pleasing in appearance.

water or leaka e ofthe same through said.

joint beneath t e cover.

The cap of the present invention is adapted for general use on all makes of automobiles provided with a water cooling system. It is simple in construction, relatively economical to manufacture and higlily body of the cap may be Varied in desi without departing from the spiritl of tie invention and any form of radiator then. mometer may be employedin conjunctiontherewith except that in such thermometers as extend into the Vapor space in the top of the radiator, the pocket 10 will be extended to reach plate 5 instead of being. ormed merely as a threaded pocket after the manner shown in Figure A3.

I am aware that changes in forman detail may tie-made the construction of the present invention as described in the speci'cation and set forth in v and, accordingly, the invention isy not to be understood as limited to the detailed construction advanced. lt is to he understood that 'the invention is capable, of being chan d b the substitution of equivalents and 1s to construed as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claim.

Having thus fully described the invenf tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A radiator cap adapted to be screwed on to the filler neckof a radiator and pro# vided With a passage through'which water maybe introduced into the radiator, a elo-- sure adapted to normally seal the passage, and means for lookin the closure insealing position, in com inatlon with a set screw threaded through the cap with its head/underlying and concealed by the closure when the latter is in sealin position and theond of which set screw is adapted to enga e with or enter c. depression in the upper e ge of the filler neck; whereby, said set screw locks the ce against removal from the lilier :decken ecce-es to said set entirely through'the cover the drawings,

screw b unauthorised persona is oreclnded e when the closure is loe-lied in eea tieni In testimony whereof have signed the foregoing specication,

EDWARD T. GRRAN.

ing posi- 

